1:18 [Verse Blast]

Today is the day that 34 years ago the good and gracious Creator of the world decided I would be born. I for one am happy, but won’t balk when I wake up in heaven and experience the glorious of the forever-after (praising God, living out eternity without sin, pure in love with all those who are saved and believed). So in reflection of the day here are all the 1-18 verses in the Bible; an interesting activity though without a doubt, though for in-depth study surrounding verses would be ideal (mmmm context). ☺

Blessings and peace to you as you go through-out your days, may they be full of love, laughter and thanksgiving, in Jesus’ name. ❤

Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
Exodus 1:18 NIV

And they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day. All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel who were twenty years old or older were listed one by one.
Numbers 1:18 NLT

I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.
Deuteronomy 1:18 NASB

Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!
Joshua 1:18 HCSB

And Judah took Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Akron with its territory.
Judges 1:18 NASB

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she ended the conversation.
Ruth 1:18 GWT

She said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
1 Samuel 1:18 NASB

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
2 Samuel 1:18 KJV

But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.
1 Kings 1:18 NLT

Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2 Kings 1:18 JB2000

Arpachshad became the father of Kenan, and Kenan became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber.
1 Chronicles 1:18 NHEB

This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty.
Ester 1:18 ESV

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house”.
Job 1:18 NET

These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
Proverbs 1:18 NIV

And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
Jeremiah 1:18 ESV

The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
Lamentations 1:18 KJV

The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.
Ezekiel 1:18 NLT

At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 1:18 HCSB

How the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joel 1:18 KJ2000

The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken.
Obadiah 1:18 ESV

Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
Zechariah 1:18

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18 NIV

And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Mark 1:18 ESV

Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years."
Luke 1:18 NLT

No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
John 1:18 NAS77

With the money he received from the wrong he had done, he bought a piece of land where he fell headfirst to his death. His body split open, and all his internal organs came out.
Acts 1:18 GWT

For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all the evils and the wickedness of the children of men, those who are holding the truth in evil.
Romans 1:18 ABPE

But as God is true, our word toward you was not yes and no.
2 Corinthians 1:18 AKJV

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Galatians 1:18 KJV

But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.
Philippians 1:18

He is also the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself might have first place in everything.
Colossians 1:18

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord's battles.
1 Timothy 1:18

May the Lord grant that he finds mercy on the day he comes again. You know very well how much he assisted me in Ephesus.
2 Timothy 1:18

But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
Philemon 1:18

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed--not by perishable things like silver or gold.
1 Peter 1:18 NET

We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
2 Peter 1:18 NIV

They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.
Jude 1:18 NLT

Never Alone

Photo Credit: StarliteGeneration

In a world surrounded by people, both in tangible-time and through our electronic screens it is a bit amazing that we could ever fill alone, but alas we do. Perhaps not everyone, but I know I have experienced my fair share of the emotion through-out my years on this globe, sometimes even when I am in the thick of a crowded room. Loneliness seesawed with depression are noted markers of those who attempt/commit suicide. It is noted that suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death, and that approximately 45k people pass by this method every year (Source: AFSP). It is hard to imagine that there is no one alive right now that hasn’t experienced suicidal thoughts, attempted it, known someone who has tried, or unfortunately succeeded. While I cannot say for certain that everyone has a flesh and blood human that they can trust and turn to (though it is my hope that they do), I do know that there is One we can all always talk to; the One who formed the world. He is omnipresent (aka everywhere, all the time), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing), and desires to be reconciled with you through Jesus Christ.

My mom is one of those women of faith who talk out loud to Father God. She doesn’t do it for show, she does it because she wants to carry on a conversation just as if He is sitting in a chair right beside her. She can be found through-out the day (or night) just speaking about life, thanking, praising, or requesting. Sometimes it isn’t much a calm dialog, but one of her crying out in pain (truthfully), but I know this He listens and brings her comfort. I commend her for this, it is not something that I have yet embraced as my default mode, I am more often the silent, mental conversationalist. She has suffered many trials and tribulations in her life, she says that God is the author of her overcoming and surviving it all, and that talking to God as such, is just what is natural, “After-all He is here with us”, she has said.

She embodies the point of this writing in full, we are not alone, regardless of what may come across our minds or what we may see with our eyes, there is a God out there that loves us, that loves you, and He is available for you to bare your burdens to. Here are a collection of verses, here is another set, and yet one more grouping for good measure that you can read, meditate on, draw encouragement from in your time of need to escape the clutches of this emotion.

There is a song by former girl group BarlowGirl, “Never Alone” that came out in 2004 that I used to play and sing along to on repeat whenever I was dealing with this. Full disclosure, I got my copy that was burnt to cd (now lost) via Limewire, but thankfully there is Youtube, so I share it with you now. May it bring peace and joy to you as you listen to it. May it warm your heart, regardless of what season or space you are in, may you have hope for the days and years to come as you read these words. May you find strength though the One who gave you the ability to stand!

Thanks be to You Father for all You have done. Through forming the world, to giving us salvation through Jesus Christ, to His peaceful Spirit that resides in the world and within those who believe. Because of You alone shall we be able to stand the test, the long haul. While we may not always get things right, Your love is always RIGHT THERE, never faltering and never failing. In Jesus name. ❤